Logan County Commissioners table supplemental budget resolution

STERLING -- Logan County Commissioners Dave Donaldson and Debbie Zwirn tabled a resolution Tuesday that would authorize expenditures of unanticipated revenue through a supplemental budget for the county clerk and the county assessor.

Jim Edwards was absent from the meeting.

"At this point in time there is no unanticipated revenue in the general fund, so we have nothing to work with to approve this supplemental budget request," Donaldson said.

According to the resolution, the clerk's unanticipated revenue for the 2012 budget includes $120,000 received from G & J Land Service for digitizing county records and a $2,403.40 ADA grant. The assessor's unanticipated revenue is revenue from E911 in the amount of $32,933, for a GIS Mapping System.

Donaldson said the $120,000 was not in the general fund, so they couldn't do anything.

The digitization money has proved to be an ongoing issue.

When the clerk, Pam Bacon, received the money, treasurer Patty Bartlett was instructed by county attorney Alan Samber to place the money in a separate account, apart from other funds, so the money would be available to pay the company doing the digitizing, Image Base, LLC. Thus, a Clerk Digitalization Account was established.

After learning of the account, the commissioners asked that the money be moved into the general fund, as statute requires. Bartlett refused to do that.

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At the beginning of November, Bacon submitted the first invoice to the commissioners for payment to company and signed a voucher showing the work was completed. The commissioners withheld the $44,432 payment because the money hadn't been moved into the general fund.

During a work session two weeks ago, with the clerk, treasurer and several others, it was agreed that the $120,000 should be moved into the general fund, where it would be line itemed or held in escrow, establishing those funds are to be used for a specific purpose.

This week, in addition to tabling the resolution, the commissioners also kept the treasurer's reports for September and October on the table.

A work session later in the morning ended with the commissioners going into an executive session "for the purpose of determining positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, pertaining to the Clerk Digitalization Fund and the county treasurer's role in that."

In other business, a proposal for lawn mowing and maintenance on various county properties was awarded to Dave's Mowing & Maintenance, in Sterling, as recommended by building and grounds supervisor Chance Wright. Services will cost $295 a week, or $1,800 per month, with other options as needed, for one year, with a two-year renewal option.

"Not only is Dave familiar with the county and has worked with us in the past years, he does a very professional job," Wright said. "He works well with the activities that we have going on around our various buildings."

There were two other bids submitted, one from Barre Ground, of Peetz, for $1,700 per month, and one from Total Lawn Care, of Sterling, for $2,870 a month.

Donaldson asked about the term of the contract, because the proposal stated it would be for the 2013, 2014 and 2015 mowing seasons. Wright asked that the contract extend for three years if possible.

"I think that the one year, with the two year renewal option -- unless it's terminated by one of the parties -- it will be for three years," Donaldson said.

Zwirn asked if they could do a three-year contract, with a statement that either party could terminate the contract within a certain time period.

David Hutt said the previous contract was for three years, with the option to redo in case there was a conflict or major landscaping change.

Samber recommended the contract be for one year, with the two-year renewal option, to be consistent with the request for proposal.

The commissioners also approved an agreement between Logan County and Public Service Company of Colorado for use of the county right of way along and across County Road 41 and Pioneer Road, to install an overhead power line replacement. Work is to be completed no later than March 30, 2013.

Additionally, an agreement between Logan County and Leslie Rhodes was approved for use of the county right of way under C.R. 29.7 for repair of a water line. Planning Coordinator Kris Pennington said the work is already completed, there was a failure in the water line that required emergency repairs in November. The agreement was just a formality.

An agreement between Logan County and Chama Oil and Minerals, L.L.C., was approved as well, for use of the county right of way along C.R. 41 to install a new driveway access to the existing well site. All work will be completed no later than Dec. 31.

The commissioners' next regular business meeting will be 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11, at the Logan County Courthouse.

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